Over the last few years, Center for Pet Safety (CPS) has been focusing on pet travel products to ensure pet owners have the facts – not just manufacturer marketing spin – to protect themselves and their pets during their travels together.
Pet Owners are wanting CPS to test more products. To do so, we need your help!
If our efforts have been helpful to you – we ask that you make a tax deductible donation to our organization and help support our important work in honor of your pets. Pet owners are asking us to examine many other product categories but we need your help to get there.
What your donation will support:
o Additional product research and testing efforts – including published test results and brand identification. We’ll identify the best and the worst products – and make this information available free of charge to all pet owners around the globe.
o Safety Standards Development. Center for Pet Safety is the first independent organization to publish pet product safety standards – based on scientific data returned through our testing!
o Center for Pet Safety Certification Program. You can now look for our CPS seal on product packaging and have confidence that it has been examined by an independent and impartial 3rd party non-profit organization.
o National outreach and pet safety educational programs.
o This is just the beginning. We were founded in 2011 (only a few years ago) – imagine what more we can do with your support!
Here’s what you need to know about pet travel:
Distraction Prevention vs. Crash Protection:
Preventing distraction is critical to help avoid an accident. However, if you are a discerning pet owner and want more than distraction prevention from a pet travel product here’s what we’ve learned
1. Not all manufacturers are telling you the truth. Yes, there are some responsible manufacturers out there…but the majority of them want you to spend your money on an unproven design and simply use marketing spin to get you to buy their product.
2. When it comes to harnesses – Long Extension Tethers and other Add-On Devices negate crash protection. These tethers actually increase the risk of injury.
3. Yes, there are products that have performed well in CPS ‘ testing – they are the following:
A: Harnesses: for dogs 16 lbs – 90 lbs. Ideal for use in any vehicle’s rear passenger seat.
The Sleepypod Clickit Sport Harness has received a 5 Star Crash Test Rating from Center for Pet Safety.
B: Carriers: for dogs and cats 15 lbs. and under. CPS recommends full containment for the smaller dog and cat.
The Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed with PPRS Handilock and the PetEgo Jet Set Forma Frame Carrier with ISOFIX –Latch Connection were named Top Performers in our 2015 Study.
C: Crates: For dogs 75# and under (other sizes pending future testing).
Crates are typically used for the larger dogs, and need to be secured with a strength rated anchor strap system in the SUV cargo area. They should not rely on the seatback for additional support. You don’t need to spend $800 – $1000 for a good crate.
The Gunner Kennel G1 Intermediate with Strength Rated Anchor Straps was named Top Performer in our 2015 Study.
D. Pet Travel Seats: at this time, Center for Pet Safety does not recommend the use of pet travel seats. We have conducted a pilot study looking into the safety of these products, with poor results.
Never connect your dog’s collar or walking harness to a safety device or assume they will offer sudden stop or crash protection to you or your pet. These products are simply not strong enough – and may cause your dog injury if used in this way.
If you travel with your pets, and our efforts have helped you make an informed decision about your product purchase – please make a tax deductible donation. We need your help to continue. Center for Pet Safety is the only non-profit research and consumer advocacy organization working on behalf of pet owners to verify pet product safety and many of our team members volunteer significant time to get you this important information.
In today’s world it is so hard to be a non-profit organization and raise the funding we need to cover our testing and operational costs. We hope you have appreciated our efforts to protect your precious family members and will support us for years to come.
My beautiful little dog Maggie inspired this mission. While she is no longer with us, I believe she would proud of the work we have done and the lives we have saved in her memory.
Sincerely,
Lindsey A. Wolko
Founder, Center for Pet Safety & Maggie’s mom.
Comments are closed.